This application claims priority to an application entitled xe2x80x9cMETHOD FOR GIVING NAVIGATION INFORMATION TO NAVIGATION TERMINAL USERxe2x80x9d, filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Nov. 2, 2001 and assigned Serial No. 2001-68315, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a navigation system, and more particularly to a method for allowing an ITS (Intelligent Transportation System) terminal to receive navigation information from an information center via a mobile communication terminal, and audibly providing the navigation information.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, a vehicle navigation system reads digital map data in the vicinity of a current vehicle position from a CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read Only Memory), a DVD-ROM (Digital Video Disc-Read Only Memory), or a flash memory, etc., and displays the read digital map data on its own display device, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). Also, the vehicle navigation system outputs a turn-by-turn guidance voice directing a vehicle to a destination via an additional speaker, thereby enabling a vehicle driver to travel from a current position to the destination.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional navigation system mounted to a vehicle.
Referring to FIG. 1, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver 12 receives signals from a plurality of artificial satellites contained in a GPS via an antenna (not shown). A gyro sensor 14 and a velocity sensor 16 form a sensor unit. This sensor unit detects an angle of rotation and a velocity of a vehicle by means of the gyro sensor 14 and the velocity sensor 16, respectively. A map data storage unit 18 stores map data and other supplementary information data therein. The map data storage unit 18 is typically implemented with a CD-ROM. A controller 10 controls an overall operation of a navigation system. For example, the controller 10 calculates a current vehicle pseudo position value on the basis of the rotation angle and velocity of the vehicle received from the sensor unit, and selects one of pseudo coordinates of a current position received from the GPS receiver 12 and the calculated vehicle pseudo position. In this case, a reference for selecting one of the pseudo coordinates and the calculated vehicle pseudo position value adopts the calculated pseudo coordinates in case of a low accumulated error, but adopts the pseudo coordinates received from the GPS receiver 12 in case of a high accumulated error, thereby correcting the accumulated error. The controller 10 calculates not only a current vehicle position, but also traveling information such as vehicle speed and direction. The controller 10 reads map data of a peripheral area from the map data storage unit 18 on the basis of the calculated traveling information, and not only visually displays the map data on a display 26, but also outputs audibly the map data via a speaker 30. Besides the aforementioned basic function, the controller 10 further indicates an optimum path from a current position to a destination. A ROM (Read Only Memory) 20 and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 22 temporarily store a program for operation and data processed in the operation. A graphic processor 24 performs graphic processing that enables a driver to visually recognize the traveling information calculated by the controller 10, and then processes the graphic-processed traveling information as display data. The display 26 displays the display data processed by the graphic processor 24 thereon. Such display 26 may be implemented with a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) or an LCD. A voice processor 28 performs a voice data processing to allow a driver to audibly recognize the traveling information calculated by the controller 10. A speaker 30 outputs the voice data processed by the voice processor 28. The graphic processor 24 processes the map data read from the map data storage unit 18 as display data, and the voice processor 28 processes any status generated while performing a variety of functions as voice data.
As stated above, a conventional navigation system is mounted to a moving object (e.g., a vehicle) as a supplementary device, and provides a driver with a convenient function such an optimum path guide service. However, such conventional navigation systems have a disadvantage in that it is difficult to indicate a path in consideration of traffic conditions varying in real time, and it is also difficult to dynamically vary map data in accordance with changes in road conditions (e.g., a newly-opened road or a road under construction).
Commonly, a hands-free set is mounted to most of vehicles in which a driver uses a mobile communication terminal such as a HHP (Hand Held Phone). However, if the hands-free set and the navigation equipment are additionally mounted to a vehicle, a loss of usable space as well as an increased cost, resulting in driver inconvenience in using traffic information of a mobile terminal. For example, to obtain traffic-related information, a driver of a vehicle including a navigation system may obtain some information from the navigation equipment, or may obtain other information from a HHP because the driver can receive real-time traffic condition information via the HHP without using the navigation system. Therefore, it is necessary that the mobile communication terminal, the hands-free set, and the navigation equipment being interrelated should be more effectively implemented and used.
Consequently, a new navigation device including a hands-free function has been developed. This navigation device including a hands-free function commonly does not include an additional display, and displays all necessary information on a display screen of a mobile communication terminal. Also, although a high-end navigation device having a detachable display has been developed, it is more expensive than the aforesaid common navigation device. Further, it is necessary for a driver to visually recognize navigation information displayed on a display screen even if a display is contained in the high-end navigation device, thereby lowering a sense of safety of the driver while driving a vehicle.
Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for allowing an ITS terminal to receive navigation information from an information center via a mobile communication terminal, and audibly provide the navigation information.
In accordance with the present invention, the above and other objects are accomplished by a method for allowing a navigation terminal using a wireless network to receive navigation information related to a predetermined position from an information center, comprising the steps of: a) transmitting position information to the information center via a voice channel; and b) receiving the navigation information related to the predetermined position from the information center via a data channel.